Expectations About Depression by Robyn Tamanaha, LMFT
Depression is very, very tough. Individuals who live with depression experience feelings of hopelessness and/or worthlessness. These feelings can impact how an individual goes about their day, how they take care of themselves, and they may notice that they are having difficulty with tasks at work and school, and with their relationships. The emotions experienced, along with how this makes areas of life difficult, may lead individuals to have the following thoughts and expectations:
I want all of this to disappear completely. Now.
I don’t want to be so sensitive.
Why can’t I get it together?
Where does this come from?
Possible sources of expectations:
Pressure upon self
Pressure from other people, such as family members
Sick of feeling this way
May have experienced unhelpful responses from others
Seeing incomplete or misguided information
Things to consider:
Unhelpful statements from others, quotes on social media, and quick tips on self-care, make it seem like if you do what others think, read those quotes, or do those self-care quick tips, depression will disappear ASAP. These undermine the work, process, and time that comes along with managing depression.
Depression is treatable and a competent mental health professional will be able to assist you in managing symptoms with strategies that are supported by research, so that your internal experience with depression and how much it’s impacting your life, can decrease and feel more manageable. You don’t have to do this alone.
Are there individual(s) who you can spend time with so that you’re not constantly thinking about depression? If there are individual(s), who listen, validate, and will not tell you what you “should” do, that’s great; however, sometimes others do not know what to say, or provide vague general statements that are not helpful. Ultimately, it might be nice to experience quality time with others; that is, just two friends hanging out or doing something nice with a support person, for example.
You don’t have to do this alone. If you are interested in receiving therapy with me, let’s schedule a free 15-minute phone consult.
My office is located in Irvine, which is near Newport Beach, Orange, Fountain Valley, Costa Mesa, Anaheim, Huntington Beach, Mission Viejo, Laguna Niguel, Aliso Viejo, Laguna Hills, Tustin, Seal Beach, and beyond. I work with anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and Asian American & Pacific Islanders.
Disclaimer: This information is being provided to you for educational and informational purposes only. The topics being discussed are meant as a self-help tool for you own use. It is not psychotherapy or counseling. This information is to be used based on your own judgment. If you need to speak with a professional, you should find one local to you and contact them directly.